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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26229139">The Beast Within</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Secretficjunkie/pseuds/Secretficjunkie'>Secretficjunkie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Little Witch Academia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action, Action &amp; Romance, Action/Adventure, All my boys are angsty boys, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Humor, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempt at Humor, Blood, Blood and Injury, Diana and Akko are fluffy gay, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Horror, Humor, Lotte is the emotional support and the absolute best, Minor Diana Cavendish/Atsuko "Akko" Kagari, One-Sided Relationship, Sucy is fearless, Underage Drinking, frotte</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:01:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,679</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26229139</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Secretficjunkie/pseuds/Secretficjunkie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Frank is stricken with a rare strain of the Werewolf's Disease, an unusual team must pull together to save him before it's too late. Through one torturous night, each will play to their strengths and face the beasts of fear that dwell within them.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Andrew Hanbridge/Atsuko "Akko" Kagari, Diana Cavendish &amp; Atsuko "Akko" Kagari, Diana Cavendish/Atsuko "Akko" Kagari, Frank/Lotte Yanson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Longest one I've done yet. If there's a bit of OOC or weird typos, I'm alright with it. But let me know anyway, all comments and helpful critiques are welcome.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>“Even a man who is pure in heart,<br/>and says his prayers by night,<br/>may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms,<br/>and the autumn moon is bright.”</i>
</p><p>*    *    *</p><p>Frank nearly tore off the outer layers of his Appleton uniform in the privacy of his dorm, desperate to get out of the fitted suit that felt very much like a personal prison at that moment. He was pouring sweat and breathing shallow. </p><p>He swore he was burning alive. </p><p>Stripping down to just the shirt and trousers brought little relief, the shirt clinging to his back as if someone had thrown a bucket of hot water on him. </p><p>This fever, or whatever it was had only gotten worse over the last few weeks. His parents had taken him to what seemed like every doctor and every specialist in the London area. </p><p>And not one of them could come up with a diagnosis. He had no symptoms of a fever despite his extremely elevated body temperature. No light-headedness, or chills, or stress on his brain at all, as countless MRI's had revealed. </p><p>He only felt a semblance of relief at night after the knife-like rays of the sun had disappeared for the day. The classroom lights were like torture, and as he lay on his bed now, another recent symptom struck a deep chord of fear in him.</p><p>Lately, as he passed his fellow students in the halls, even as he sat with his friends at lunch and after class, his thoughts had begun to turn violent. </p><p>He had grown hungry and nothing could sate him. His eyes were drawn to the translucent skin of his pale friend's throats, the bluish veins just visible underneath milky flesh. He longed to bite, to tear, to taste the blood that would flow freely through the breadth of his greedy jaws. </p><p>And the thoughts terrified him. With every fiber of his soul, he was afraid. Not knowing what he would do or if he would act on these impulses, a little seed of self-hate began to grow in his sweet, good-natured heart. </p><p>Suddenly overtaken by a wave of aggression, he lashed out, striking at anything he could reach. He broke the reading lamp and overturned the furniture. He left holes in the walls and dents in everything else.</p><p>Looking at the the wreck of his room, the little seed of self-hate only grew larger. This wasn't him, even in his most angry moments...he had never acted this way. </p><p>He collapsed, wracked and ruined, sobbing uncontrollably and clutching his head so hard his fingernails drew blood from his scalp. Tears mixed with sweat and stung his eyes. </p><p>He had to move, he had to go somewhere away from everyone, hopefully to ride out whatever was happening to him. </p><p>
  <i>The old basement.</i>
</p><p>The idea suddenly occurred to him. No one went there anymore and the door was barred, heavy wood. He would be safe, and more importantly, everyone else would be safe. </p><p>His thoughts flew at rapid fire, almost as if he had a real fever. What if he hurt someone? He needed someone to watch over him as he was locked away. He needed a friend...he needed Andrew. </p><p>He crawled on his belly like a crazed madman to his book bag, trailing wet spots of sweat on the carpet.  He pulled his phone out, praying that Andrew would answer. </p><p>*   *   *</p><p>Andrew was studying for a Latin exam in the independent study hall when his phone buzzed in his pocket. </p><p>
  <i>Frank.</i>
</p><p>Frank never called...he always texted. Seeing the name pop up on his screen instantly had Andrew worried. Stepping outside for some privacy, his fears only deepened when he heard the voice on the other end of the line, unrecognizable from his best friend's perpetually cheerful tones.</p><p>The voice shook with terror and tears, wavering in short, gasping breaths. </p><p>“A-Andrew?” </p><p>“Frank, what's wrong?” asked Andrew. His stomach twisted itself in horrified knots to hear such torment.</p><p>“I need h-help, Andrew...I'm sick. I'm afraid....I-I'm afraid I'm going to hurt someone!” His voice cracked and steadily heightened in a flurry of panic. “I want to be locked up...in the basement!”</p><p>“Slow down...breathe...” Andrew tried to be reassuring despite his own mounting panic. What did Frank mean that he thought he might hurt someone? Why? </p><p>“Where are you?” demanded Andrew. “I'll come and get you, where are you?”</p><p>“In my room, b-but I don't want to be here. I n-need to be locked up! In the basement! It's the only p-place strong enough,” Frank seemed on the brink of insanity. He kept repeating over and over <i>the basement</i> as if chanting a prayer that represented his last hope. </p><p>“Stay there, I'll be there in ten minutes!” </p><p>“D-don't leave me...” Frank's voice became weak but no less horrified. </p><p>“I won't hang up, I promise,” said Andrew hurriedly. “I'll be there soon, just hold on. I need to find someone first. We'll be right there, just keep listening to my voice, I won't leave you!” </p><p>In full-blown panic, Andrew's fingers quaked as he tucked the phone into his breast pocket, hopefully so that Frank could still hear on the other end. </p><p>He tore back into the study hall, scanning the faces of the boys bent over their books. It was incredulous to Andrew in that moment that the world could be so calm as Frank was falling apart at the seams not two buildings over. </p><p>Andrew spotted the blonde boy at a table in the far corner, studying his notes and idly tapping a pencil. He made a beeline toward him, his own books and possessions completely forgotten except for his phone in his pocket. </p><p>Wasting no time at all, he spoke as soon as he came to a skidding halt. </p><p>“Louis, I need the keys to the basement, right now,” he said, trying to keep his voice low and even, but there was an unmistakable quiver of panic rippling through. </p><p>Louis offered up a disinterested glance that changed to a knit brow of curious concern as soon as he caught a glimpse of Andrew's face. </p><p>“What's the matter with you, Hanbridge? You look like you've seen a ghost,” he said, voice not quite as haughty as it used to be. </p><p>“It's Frank. Frank is in trouble, something's wrong with him and he keeps asking to be locked up. I know you have the keys to the basement, so let's go!” </p><p>Without another word, Louis rummaged through his bag until pulling out a large ring of keys the Chairman had thankfully forgotten to confiscate from his son after the embarrassment of the bridge incident. </p><p>In the time leading up to and following the Noir missile crisis, Louis had gained some humility he sorely needed. Falling from his father's grace had been a bitter pill to swallow, and Frank had been kind enough to extend an olive branch of friendship his way...a gesture he would never forget. </p><p>“Where is he?” Louis asked, keys in hand. </p><p>“Dorms,” came Andrew's short reply and they were off in a dead sprint.</p><p>“Frank, are you still there?” Andrew said into his phone. The call hadn't dropped, which was a hopeful sign. </p><p>“Hurry,” came the weak voice on the other end. </p><p>“Hold on, we're on our way!” He didn't bother to put the phone back in his pocket, he just ran with it in his hand, as fast as his legs could carry him. </p><p>“What's wrong with him?” Louis asked between breaths as they crossed the immense campus. </p><p>“Whatever he's sick with, it's worse,” huffed Andrew. “He said he could hurt someone.”</p><p>They took the stairs two at a time up to the dorms. When Andrew flung open the door to Frank's room, they both stopped dead in their tracks, petrified by the sight that greeted them.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Frank lay on the floor in a crumpled heap, drenched in a thick sickly sheen of sweat. His hair was plastered against his forehead and what they could see of his skin was stretched over his bones and muscles, almost looking two sizes two small for his body, angry and red. His eyes were shut but he was panting with his mouth wide open, almost dog-like. </p><p>“Jesus Christ,” Louis whispered with his hand clamped over his mouth.</p><p>Frank's eyes shot open at the sound of the voice, but there was no break in his rhythmic panting, making him look ten times more monstrous. </p><p>Tentatively, Andrew knelt down beside him. “We're taking you to the basement now. Is that what you want?” he asked, utterly stricken, not knowing what else to do. </p><p>Frank nodded, still sucking in air through his open mouth. </p><p>“Okay...okay...okay,” Andrew chanted softly both to himself and Frank, trying to calm himself down. He gently lifted Frank's arm and nestled under it so as to lift him with his body. His skin was way too hot. Andrew was afraid it would split if he touched it too rough. </p><p>“Louis, help me.”</p><p>Louis came to as if out of a stupor and positioned himself under Frank's other arm. Frank was only able to take tiny steps to help them out, barely able to support his own weight. As they hefted him out of the room, they eventually just ended up half-carrying, half-dragging him down the stairs.</p><p>Once they reached the courtyard, they looked around for any signs of life before dragging Frank across campus to the administration building where the door to the basement waited. If anyone saw him like this, it was sure to raise a lot of questions and alarm they just didn't have time for. </p><p>Frank himself was struggling with the unbearable temperature his body had reached. Panting for air helped, but only slightly. More pressing was the new unsatiated hunger coursing through his entire being. </p><p>His friends strained to lift him, forcing their hearts to pump fresh healthy blood through their veins, which stood out as clearly to him as a lighthouse in a storm. </p><p>He felt shame and disgust boil up in his throat as he thought about how easy it would be to get to that blood. </p><p>Ever since the magitronic armor took him, Louis had been wearing the bare minimum of his uniform whenever he could get away with it. He even gave up fencing because the thick protective clothing was too much anymore. All that separated Frank from a freshly beating heart was a white shirt and pliant, vulnerable flesh.</p><p>And Andrew...Andrew's face was so near. Right underneath his jawline, his tie and collar were squeezing into his neck, putting pressure on the carotid artery. He could almost see it pulsating. All he would have to do is lean over just a bit. He could take a bite out of his artery as if it were a summer apple, its precious juices spilling down his chin. </p><p>He hated himself. He hated himself so much for letting these thoughts dance across his mind, but he couldn't stop them from coming. He feared for everyone around him and spiraled further into despair, desperate to hold on to his last vestiges of control. </p><p>A life-giving wave of relief washed over him when the foreboding wooden door to the basement was finally in sight. They undid the heavy padlocks and lifted the iron bars. The fans high up on the wall lazily pushed frigid air into the cell where the iron maiden, spiked cage and various antique torture implements lay abandoned. </p><p>Louis felt a hot flush of shame at seeing the tools, serving to remind him of the worst version of himself. </p><p>They laid Frank down on the cool floor, in between slim slivers of daylight peeking through the fans. His panting seemed to slow. </p><p>“What do you want us to do now?” Andrew asked him quietly, pushing back Frank's wet bangs from his hot forehead. </p><p>“Leave,” he said weakly. “Go away. If you stay, I-I'll hurt you.” He rolled over to face away from them, curled in the fetal position on the stone floor as pathetic as a beaten animal. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried not to smell the blood in their veins. Hot tears spilled all over again as he heard the heavy clanking of the door shutting and the bars being padlocked back in place. </p><p>“What do we do now?” Louis asked as he snapped the padlocks and pocketed the keys. “We can't leave him in there like that. He needs a doctor, or a scientist or someone a damn sight smarter than us.”  </p><p>Andrew shook his head wordlessly. He had been by Frank's side the entire time the doctor's had searched for an answer. When all avenues came up empty, they reached the inevitable conclusion that no science would be able to help him. </p><p>It was only just now that Andrew remembered there was another world apart from science, and perhaps the answer lay there. They were out of options...it was worth a shot.</p><p>He whipped out his phone and searched the contact list, unspeakably relieved that the restrictions on technology at Luna Nova had been lifted in light of recent emergency circumstances.</p><p>“Who are you calling,” Louis asked.</p><p>“Someone smarter than us,” Andrew answered confidently.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Diana Cavendish glided down the hallway of Luna Nova as only she could do with Hannah and Barbara in tow like an elegant shark with two Remoras swimming close by. Her phone buzzed. All things considered, she had picked up on the new technology rather quickly, and while the internet lacked most pertinent magical information, it was still a useful tool.</p><p>Hannah and Barbara cared more about the social media aspect, and that was just fine with her. They could have that modern mess. It had become more important to her to keep in touch with the non-magic part of the world. After Akko had gone missing, they all thought it best to be able to reach each other quicker than the owl flew. </p><p>Still...a call from Andrew was rare.</p><p>“Andrew,” she said gracefully, “To what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?”</p><p>“Hello Diana, forgive my lack of pleasantries, but this is an emergency. I seem to recall your family having some experience with magical diseases, correct?”</p><p>“Yes...” she said slowly. This was an unusual call indeed.</p><p>“Good. Frank is very sick. I'm sure you've heard all about it.”</p><p>She had. Lotte had been keeping Akko and Sucy updated on every doctor's visit and every specialist's advice. And of course, that meant Akko had kept Diana abridged as well, albeit a bit frantically and forgetting important details, as was her way.</p><p>“I'm starting to think that what he's going through may be magical in nature. I don't know how, but unless he has spontaneously developed a new human condition, I can't think of anything else.”</p><p>“Of course, I would be happy to see what I can find out,” said Diana. </p><p>Really, it was a poor time to take on any extra work, with exams coming up. But any friend of Akko's was a friend of hers. Even Diana had to admit there were more important things than grades, never out loud, mind you.</p><p>Andrew described Frank's symptoms in great detail. The feverishly high body temperature, the sweating, and aversion to light. </p><p>“It sounds possibly like Naktis Fever,” she said thoughtfully. “It's a simple cure...”</p><p>“There's new developments,” he said, his voice starting to sound more shaky. “When we looked at him just a few minutes ago, his skin was deep red and looked like it was too tight over his body. He was panting for air like a dog does when it's too hot. And he kept mentioning violent feelings...like he was going to hurt someone.”</p><p>The line went silent for a moment. Now those symptoms...sounded like something else...something much worse than a simple magic fever. </p><p>Diana chose her words carefully. “Has Frank...come into contact with any unusual animals recently? Possibly been bitten?”</p><p>“Not that I know of,” said Andrew. “He's been studying for exams mostly. It doesn't leave a lot of time to be outside...why?” he asked.</p><p>“I...I need some time to research it,” responded Diana. “Give me a few hours and I'll call you back.”</p><p>“Please hurry, Diana. He's in a lot of pain.”</p><p>“I will,” and she hung up. </p><p>Diana turned around suddenly and headed in the direction of the library. </p><p>“Diana! What about History of Magic?!” said Hannah frantically.</p><p>“I need to research something in private,” said Diana resolutely. “Take notes for me. I'll be in the library.”</p><p>Hannah and Barbara looked at each other, concerned. Whatever was on Diana's mind, it must have been serious. They knew better than to pester her at a time like this. The most they could help her with now was taking the best magical history notes of their young lives.</p><p>When Diana arrived at the library, she made a beeline for the magical maladies section, right under the placard marked 'L'. She pulled every book on Lycanthropy in the section, without even checking the titles first.</p><p>Once she reached a table, she sorted through the more promising titles, discarding history of the disease as well as all legends and hearsay volumes. </p><p>Cracking the first one, she compared Frank's symptoms with those listed in the passages...it was a dead match. Diana began to grow more worried. She checked several other volumes. Though sometimes the symptoms differed a little, all lists matched with Frank's current condition. </p><p>There was no doubt about it in her mind now...Frank had the werewolf's disease.</p><p>But how? That was the next question. There hadn't been a documented werewolf case in this part of Great Britain for the better part of three decades. Not to mention, Frank didn't often venture into the wild parts of the world; the woods, the swamps and the moors. </p><p>A passage about genetics caught her eye. It was rare...it was an anomaly but it was the best explanation she could find after pouring over the volumes for any and every clue. </p><p>Just as she was about to pick up the phone to call Andrew back, another thought occurred to her, this time much more terrifying. Rather than bothering with a lunar chart, she simply pulled up the calendar on the phone. Thank the nine for this kind of technology at a time like this. </p><p>Her worst fears were confirmed. Why Frank's condition had deteriorated so quickly, why his urges to hurt people had grown so strong and why he asked to be locked away...tonight was the full moon. He would turn tonight. Into a monster beyond the capability to control, to reason, to stem the bloodlust.</p><p>Diana grabbed the volume on genetics and bolted out the library, heading for the red dorms as fast as she could. </p><p>She pulled out her phone as she ran and redialed Andrew, who answered on the first ring. Without bothering with greetings or manners, she said urgently, “Frank has Lycanthropy. He'll turn into a beast tonight and go searching for blood to feed on. Don't go near him, don't let him near anyone else, you keep him locked up! You need to find a way to evacuate the school, everyone is in terrible danger! We're on our way with a cure!”</p><p>At least...she hoped they were on their way with a cure. Frank's time was already running short. They would have to cure him before the end of the first full moon. There was one person who could help better than her right now. She hoped with all her heart she would be there.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Diana burst through the door to the shared dormitory, frazzled and out of breath. She was greeted by the shocked expression of Lotte and one slightly widened eye that passed for a shocked expression on Sucy's face. </p><p>Diana was too out of breath to speak first, so she just came into the room and sat in a vacant chair. Even under these circumstances, a Cavendish never 'flopped' or 'plopped' into any manner of seat. </p><p>“If you're here for Akko,” said Sucy, “she wore herself out in broom dance practice and she's already out cold.” Sure enough, she pointed to Akko's bottom bunk, where the little brunette witch was starfished out across the blanket, mouth wide open in a light snore. </p><p>“We can give you two some privacy...if you like,” started Lotte tentatively. </p><p>“Yeah, don't make me watch the hanky panky, please,” added Sucy, “I had a big lunch.” </p><p>Diana regained her voice in an instant, along with a pink hue on her pale cheeks. </p><p>“Ahem, as much as I wish this visit was under better circumstances, I'm actually here to see you Sucy.” </p><p>“Say what?” Sucy quipped in her placid tone.</p><p>“Do you have wolfsbane potion?”</p><p>Sucy narrowed her one visible eye at Diana suspiciously. “Maybe...who wants to know?”</p><p>“I do, you dry little toadstool!” Diana blurted, composure momentarily lost. </p><p>“Wow, wow alright, everyone calm down,” said Lotte in her softest most diplomatic voice. “Diana, why do you need wolfsbane?”</p><p>Diana felt embarrassed at her outburst. There was something about Sucy that just got under her skin so quickly. Even Andrew's little verbal barbs weren't half as annoying. But that didn't matter now, they had a job to do.</p><p>“Lotte, it's for Frank,” she said as gently as she could. </p><p>It didn't hit Lotte right away. She stood there for a moment, struggling with what that meant. “But...but if he needs wolfsbane...then...” the look of horrified realization crossed her face and she went white as a sheet.</p><p>No one said anything. </p><p>Finally, Lotte seemed to come to...struggling to fight back tears. “How-how did this happen?” </p><p>Sucy, in an unusual move of physical affection, sat her friend down next to her on the bed, keeping her hands steady on her shoulders. </p><p>Diana cleared her throat again. “I believe...that the disease laid dormant in Frank's genetic code all his life. It could be a throwback to someone in his ancestry. Sometimes the mutation exists in the DNA of humans and witches alike, usually passing from parent to child without ever expressing itself. But in very rare cases, something in a person's life, be it a traumatic event or exposure to a substance, can trigger the gene to wake up. And the result is werewolf's disease, just as if they had been bitten.”</p><p>“What could have triggered the mutation,” Sucy asked, out of concern as well as curiosity. </p><p>“In Frank's case...it's likely that the revival of Yggdrasil and the increased exposure to the flow of magic is what awakened the disease in his DNA...almost like uh, a radioactive isotope.” </p><p>“So we...I...did this to him?” Lotte asked through tears. She put a hand over her heart, just to make sure it was still there, still beating. Her and Frank had grown much closer  than she ever could have hoped for, and now this.</p><p>He had such a keen interest in magic and she was just as eager to share with him. She thought back to all the times magic had made up a part of their relationship...talking to spirits, casting throwaway spells, he even rode on the back of her broom once or twice. She could almost feel his arms clamped around her now, in a tight hug like it was then, holding on for dear life and laughing like mad. </p><p>Then she felt cold and empty except for Sucy's rock-steady hands on her shoulders. All the while, it had been bringing out a monster in him...</p><p>“No, it wasn't your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault,” Diana's voice cut through her reverie. “It's just a matter of genetics, like many many other diseases.” </p><p>The time for delicacy was over. As the sun started to set, their time drifted away grain by grain. </p><p>“That's why we need to help him now,” said Diana resolutely, standing up. “So Sucy, do you have wolfbane or not?”</p><p>Sucy gave Lotte's shoulders one conspiratorial squeeze before letting go.</p><p>“I do.”</p><p>“Good, pack it up. You're coming with me to Appleton. We still have time before he turns. Bring a syringe just in case, we might have to administer it directly into a vein.” </p><p>“Got it,” Sucy was grabbing bottles and supplies, shoving them haphazardly into a bag. In the very back of her personal cupboard, her fingers felt for a dusty box. Inside was a small phial of wolfsbane...it had taken her weeks to brew it. Such a complicated recipe rightfully earned her top grades in Magic Pharmaceuticals, and she was glad now that she hadn't had the heart to throw it out after. This dusty box she wrapped carefully in a scarf before placing it in the bag with everything else.</p><p>“I'm coming too,” said Lotte suddenly, tears all but gone from her eyes. She addressed Diana a little defiantly, “You're the best witch in the school and Sucy is the best potion brewer. I know you two can handle it without me, but I'm coming anyway. I care about him and I won't stand by and do nothing.”</p><p>With that, she grabbed her broom and wand. Diana didn't even try to talk her out of it. She may need help with a transformation enchantment if the potion wasn't enough to do the trick. Besides, who was she to come between two people who belonged together?</p><p>Speaking of which, she regarded Akko, who had slept undisturbed through the entire conversation. Even when she sat on the edge of the bed, the precious brunette didn't stir. </p><p>“This is probably a little out of Akko's wheelhouse,” Sucy cautioned Diana. </p><p>“No...I wouldn't want to put her in harm's way,” Diana responded, not taking her eyes off Akko. She leaned close and placed a chaste but tender kiss on her forehead, lingering just a bit. “Just rest. Wait for me. And if I don't come back...take care of yourself.” </p><p>Akko still didn't wake up, but a tiny smile played at her mouth. Then she rolled over, mumbling something about 'yummy sandwiches.' </p><p>Diana blushed, embarrassed to have displayed such affection in front of Akko's roommates. She cleared her throat to gather herself. “Let's go now, the full moon will be on the rise soon.” </p><p>With that, the unusual trio left the red dorms, taking flight on their brooms in the direction of Appleton in the orange glow of the setting sun.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In the hours it took Diana to figure out Frank's malady, Andrew and Louis had gotten their bearings and returned to the independent study hall to collect their abandoned possessions. They dodged their peers' questions about their hasty exit, chalking it up to a small emergency and nothing more. </p><p>They relocated to Frank's empty room, which was left in a hideous shambles. Sweat had soaked into the carpet and nearly everything had been broken, kicked or punched in frustration. Waiting for news about a sick friend is possibly one of the worst human tortures, and they were almost grateful for the cleanup job, just to have something to do with their hands.</p><p>At last, the phone call came. Diana's panicked message rang in Andrew's ear like he was standing two feet from a cathedral bell. He held the phone to his ear long after Diana had hung up on the other end. He couldn't bring himself to move yet as the information sunk in and he recalled his Latin.</p><p>“Well?” asked Louis anxiously. He, in particular, struggled at waiting.</p><p>“She says she knows what's wrong with him,” Andrew said finally, but very carefully, almost as if he was dancing around something very fragile. He was having trouble wrapping his mind around it.</p><p>Louis made the universal 'hurry up' gesture, quickly losing what little patience he had clung to. </p><p>“Alright...she says Frank has Lycanthropy. Werewolf's disease.” Andrew finished lamely. Hearing the words come out of his mouth had him perplexed. On the one hand, this was the stuff of fairy tales. On the other...well he had seen some fantastical things since getting dragged into the world of the witches. How crazy was it, really?</p><p>“That can't be,” said Louis. Disbelief made his voice take on the old, haughty tone that used to punctuate his every word. “I'm going downstairs...we're calling for a proper doctor.” He flung open the door and headed for the direction of the basement, Andrew closely behind him. </p><p>“Wait, wait a moment,” Andrew drew level with him. “I know it sounds insane, but it's the best explanation we have right now. They're on their way with something to help him. And if we bring in a doctor, we might be endangering an innocent life.” </p><p>“He's not a werewolf. There hasn't been one in twenty-eight years,” insisted Louis. </p><p>“How on earth do you know that?”</p><p>Louis shot him a look. “You attend a famously medieval academy that prides itself on eradicating magical creatures and you <i>don't</i> know that?” </p><p>“But how can you be so sure?” asked Andrew. “You mean to tell me, after everything we've seen...need I remind you what happened to you on the bridge...”</p><p>“Actually, Hanbridge, you needn't remind me,” said Louis angrily, suddenly whirling on him. “Don't ever talk to me about that day! I lost a lot that day.” </p><p>Undeterred, Andrew went on. “Nothing you couldn't afford to lose. And think of all that you've gained. Give the girls a chance, Louis.” </p><p>By then they had reached the edge of the courtyard across from the administrative building. The heavy wooden door was in sight.</p><p>“Diana says the whole school is in danger right now. We have to evacuate.” </p><p>Louis stubbornly ignored him as they walked along.</p><p>When they approached the door, however, they were stopped by sounds coming from within. Frank was screaming in pain, but they were not natural human sounds by any means. Every wailing cry was split by a mournful howling. </p><p>Their blood ran ice cold. It certainly sounded wolf-like enough for Andrew. </p><p>“What more proof do you need?” he said, nodding at the door.</p><p>“So...they recommend evacuation?” asked Louis, not taking his eyes off from it. </p><p>“I think you need to place a phone call to your father,” confirmed Andrew. “We won't be able to arrange enough transportation out of here without his authority.” </p><p>Louis dug his phone from his pocket, but hesitated. “What am I going to tell him? He'll never buy the truth for an explanation.” </p><p>Andrew hadn't thought of that. Lately, he had abandoned delicate politics around his own father and opted for the truth instead. It had been a slow progression, but Paul Hanbridge was much more receptive to the truth these days than Mr. Blackwell had ever been, especially when it involved magic. </p><p>Unable to come up with a decent lie, Louis dialed and lifted the phone to his ear, still watching the door like a hawk. Mr. Blackwell was quick to pick up.</p><p>“What is it, Louis?” the gruff and short-tempered voice of the Chairman came through loud enough for even Andrew to hear it. </p><p>“Father...something...dangerous is on campus. I believe that the students and staff should be evacuated.” Something in his intuition told him to leave out the werewolf part. </p><p>The Chairman's voice momentarily gave way to concern, though it was a very intense, angry-sounding concern. “Have you contacted the police?”</p><p>“No, sir.” </p><p>“Why not?”</p><p>“We-we believe the creature is uh-of a magical persuasion. We've called someone to help us...”</p><p>“I'm sure you don't mean witches,” the Chairman said confidently with a definite threatening note in his voice. </p><p>“Yes, si-” Louis was cut off by his livid father.</p><p>“No doubt friends of yours? I don't know what's gotten into you lately, Louis, but I don't like it. You've grown weak!”</p><p>Louis's face twitched at the accusation of his father's most despised quality in a person.</p><p>“You will fall in line, right now! And if I get there in the morning and find witches or any evidence of them on my campus, or if I find out you've been involved in another incident, you'll be very sorry indeed. You think you're on a short leash now, boy, but I promise you, you won't see the light of day until you graduate!” </p><p>Louis was very near to tears but kept a firm jaw to stop them spilling. </p><p>“Have I made myself clear?”</p><p>“Perfectly, sir,” Louis responded, then his father unceremoniously hung up. </p><p>When he finally lowered the phone from his ear, his fingers were gripping it so tightly his knuckles had turned white. His face turned hard and bitter. </p><p>“We're on our own,” he said, resigned. </p><p>Andrew just stood there for a moment. For the first time, he thought about the cost of what they were about to do. Mr. Blackwell already held a grudge against him...he may be facing expulsion to start with. </p><p>As Louis drifted further from Mr. Blackwell's life philosophies, his father seemed to punish him with isolation and withholding his approval and care. Andrew knew that pain very well. Why it was a tactic some fathers used to breed loyalty in their sons, he couldn't say...but it sounded to Andrew like their relationship was on the brink of an irreparable fracture. He decided to give him an out. </p><p>“It's not too late. If you wanted to walk away, I wouldn't hold it against you,” Andrew broke the silence. </p><p>“How gracious, but no,” said Louis with a wry sort of smirk. Another of Frank's howls punched through the air. “I won't see myself stand on the wrong side again.” </p><p>Andrew chose his next words very carefully, but felt compelled to say it, “You know...I respect your father's position in our government and as Chairman here at Appleton. But...if I was a man who your father thought was weak...I think I would be proud to be that man.” </p><p>Louis considered for a moment.</p><p>“As time goes on, Hanbridge...so would I.”</p><p>“So...” he went on. “We aren't going to be able to get everyone out.” </p><p>“No,” said Andrew. “But maybe...we could lock everyone in. Get everyone into the dorm building and seal it up until the girls get here with the cure.” </p><p>Louis nodded. “Yes...yes, they can barricade the doors and windows from the inside.” </p><p>“Can you convince everyone in the study hall while I talk to the staff?” asked Andrew. </p><p>“Of course,” Louis said wryly, for once planning to use his clout for good. “I'm the Chairman's son... who would argue?”</p><p>They split up and went about their separate tasks. Between Andrew's excellent reputation among the staff, Louis's powers of persuasion and a lot of bluffing about the Chairman's order for a lock-down, they managed to assemble the entire school in the dorm building in record time. </p><p>They conveniently left out the fact that a student was the source of the danger. If they were to pay dearly after it was all over, Frank didn't deserve a share of the punishment. </p><p>Little did they know, their self-satisfied feeling of a job well done would be short lived as they met the three witches just touching down at the front gate of the school. </p><p>Deep in the basement of the administration building, the last shreds of Frank's humanity were buried under the instincts of a predatory beast. His skin, stretched to its limit, split itself apart. New muscles and a thick hide covered in sickly whitish-gray fur sprung from his human body. </p><p>He screamed in pain as his teeth elongated into fangs meant for rending flesh apart. He looked at his hands, praying they wouldn't disappear, and it was the last rational thought that crossed his mind before he was gone. All that he could feel was the unsatiated hunger. He craved blood and would do anything he could to get it.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Night had descended fully on Appleton when the trio of witches landed at the front gate. Quick introductions were made for the sake of being civil, but Andrew couldn't help feeling a pang in his stomach at seeing Diana, a phenomenon he had been experiencing for months. </p><p>“Frank is in the basement of the administration building, over there,” Andrew pointed to the opulent spires in the distance. </p><p>“Good, the moon's not yet risen, we can cure him before he turns completely,” said Diana, mounting her broom once again. “Get on, you two.” </p><p>Andrew and Louis exchanged awkward glances.</p><p>“You want us to...ride...on those? Louis repeated, not prepared at all to be thrust this deeply into magical shenanigans so soon. </p><p>“We'll get to him faster if you do,” said Diana, a note of urgency creeping into her voice. “Come on, now Andrew, you can ride with me.” </p><p>His stomach panged again and he chose to ride with Lotte instead as Louis tried to swing a gangling leg over Sucy's broom. “How does one...not fall off something this narrow?”</p><p>“Just grab the stick part and hang on with your thighs, it's not brain surgery,” said Sucy with a hint of glee in her voice as she watched him try to coordinate his long limbs into a suitable position. She hadn't seen someone struggle so much since Akko first got her broom. </p><p>Meanwhile, Lotte could feel palpable tension coming from Andrew. She wondered if it was simply nerves, but considering that awkward moment...she thought not.</p><p>They sped off, just a few feet from the ground in case one of the boys fell off, but they arrived at the main building without incident. Diana was pleased that everything was going so smoothly. They would cure Frank and be back well before midnight. She could take a relaxing bath and...</p><p>Her train of thought was interrupted by a bone-chilling sight. They all got off the brooms, eyes fixed on what was once the sturdy basement door, now smashed to mere splinters with the remaining bits dangling limply from the twisted hinges. The warped bars and padlocks lay uselessly ten feet away. </p><p>“That's...that's not where he was locked up, was it?” asked Lotte, knowing the answer full well but hoping against hope this was all a big joke or a mistake. </p><p>No one said anything, stunned into silence only augmented by their growing fear. </p><p>Diana was the first to swallow her fear and moved to enter the building. Inside, they found most of the iron torture instruments smashed, bent and twisted. </p><p>“Wow, what a mess,” said Sucy evenly. </p><p>Diana bent down and picked up a wad of light fur, running it through her fingers. “He's already transformed,” she finally said sadly. “Ahead of schedule.” </p><p>“He's out there right now, wandering around campus...in the dark. Can he see in the dark?” asked Andrew. </p><p>“Yes,” replied Diana, “a lot better than any of us can. You two evacuated everyone from this school, right?” she demanded. </p><p>“We couldn't,” replied Andrew somewhat reproachfully. “They're barricaded in the dormitory building.” </p><p>Diana grew frustrated. “That's not good enough, they're still in danger!”</p><p>“As surprising as it may be, Miss New Nine, we have limited influence here!” said Andrew angrily.</p><p>“Well, you can explain that to your classmates after they've been hunted and fed on, or infected themselves!” Diana raised her voice, squaring up to him. </p><p>“Frank wouldn't do that,” he seethed venomously. </p><p>“I know Frank wouldn't, but Frank is not in control right now! The disease has him, and he <i>will</i> hurt people!” Diana was nearly yelling now. </p><p>“Both of you, stop it!” Lotte cut in shrilly, making them both jump. Having rarely ever heard her raise her voice, Andrew and Diana shrank back from her like two small children getting scolded by their mother. </p><p>After the initial outburst, Lotte's voice softened back to its quiet cadence. “This isn't helping Frank, who we're all here for. He's not a monster...he's sick and we have what it takes to make him better. Right Diana?” she shot Diana an intense look.</p><p>Diana nodded wordlessly, eyes wide.</p><p>“Then let's do it before anyone gets hurt, including him. Now...everyone take a deep breath. What's the first step?”</p><p>They all followed her advice, and Diana's anger subsided enough to think clearly again.</p><p>“Alright, it won't be as easy as if he was in his human body. Not nearly as easy...” she cast her eyes around the basement. </p><p>“Let's take these lengths of chain, and you two should arm yourselves with some kind of weapon...just in case,” she nodded toward Andrew and Louis. </p><p>They plucked a sword each from the rack on the wall. They were rusty, bulky broadswords but they were better than nothing. </p><p>Sucy and Lotte gathered the lengths of chain that had once suspended the iron maiden from the ceiling, rolling it up to carry on their shoulders like a climber's rope.  </p><p>“Is there anything around here made of silver?” asked Diana suddenly. “Anything at all?”</p><p>“Yes,” Louis piped up, relieved that his encyclopedic knowledge of the instruments of horror on campus was being put to good use. “There's antique weapons on display in the Chairman's office. Some of them are silver.”</p><p>“Good, where is it?”</p><p>“In this building, but we will have to go around the side to get to the door. There's no other way out of the basement besides the way we came.” </p><p>They left the basement in a line, hugging the stone wall with Louis in the lead. Lotte followed close behind to provide a small beam of light from her wand. Diana, Sucy and Andrew brought up the rear, facing backwards to watch the shadows. </p><p>The moon had already begun to rise, bathing Appleton in ample enough light to see, and unfortunately...be seen. </p><p>Something rustled nearby in the well-manicured bushes. The group stopped, holding their wands and swords aloft, pinned to the wall by fear. </p><p>“What do we do?” Andrew whispered to Diana.</p><p>“Aim for the muzzle,” she said, voice quivering. “It'll stun him and we'll be able to inject the potion.” </p><p>The bushes rustled again. </p><p>They could all practically hear their hearts thundering in their ears.</p><p>Then a fat raccoon came meandering out of the bushes, oblivious to the near-coronaries it had caused in five nearby teens. </p><p>They breathed collective sighs of relief and pressed on, eyes and ears almost aching from straining to pick up any sign of a more fearsome beast. Finally, they reached the front door. Louis's heart sunk when he saw that it was already hanging ajar.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He motioned to the others to have a look, and they all got the same sinking feeling. It was possible that it was left open when the staff fled to the dorm building. A more likely explanation was that Frank was somewhere nearby, perhaps inside already. </p><p>They slowly made their way down the hall, no longer aided by the light of the moon besides through the windows. </p><p>A noise at the end of the hall in the darkness made them stop dead. It had sounded like a low-throated growl and in could no way be mistaken for a raccoon. They were sitting ducks, back-lit by the light of the front door. </p><p>Lotte wrenched open the nearest door and, taking the hint, the group crammed themselves inside without hesitation or inspection of the interior. It had turned out to be a small broom closet, not even really big enough to fit them all. </p><p>Diana closed the door as much as she possibly could, but there was still the smallest sliver of light visible. She started quietly mumbling a spell and drawing her wand around the door's edges to mask their scent. </p><p>Lotte suddenly was very aware of the body next to hers shaking violently. </p><p>Louis was having trouble breathing. The tiny broom closet brought his most horrific memory to the surface. Only pitch darkness, only enough air to keep him conscious as he baked alive in that suit of armor. His body was moved against his will as though he was a puppet, wildly swinging a massive sword. And he felt only fear that he would certainly die and certainly kill others. </p><p>The memory took up every corner of his mind and he gasped for air. </p><p>Lotte felt blindly for the hand that didn't have a sword in it. Once she found it, he gripped her hand back so hard it almost hurt. She pointed her wand in his general direction and softly chanting a spell to calm him down. </p><p>His breathing evened out a bit and the memory was cleared away just enough for him to get a handle on himself and open his eyes. He sincerely wished he hadn't. </p><p>Outside the door, the growling had gotten louder. A massive shape obscured the tiny crack of light and they caught their first glimpse of the wolf. It was the size of a small car and covered in grizzly fur. The head and muzzle greatly resembled a wolf but the gaping jaws were that of a nightmarish monster, hanging open and dripping drool and hot breath. The hands and feet were still disturbingly humanoid but endowed with long, mean claws. </p><p>Lotte was more grief-stricken than scared. Sweet Frank, who just a week ago, sat next to her in the library while she studied, tracing little circles in her palm. And now...</p><p>Tears welled up behind her glasses. As Louis was still clutching her hand, her wand hand flew up to her mouth to stop a sob coming out. Sucy must have felt something, because she reached back without looking and squeezed Lotte's arm with her stone-steady fingers. </p><p>The beast wandered past their hiding spot, seemingly without noticing them and stalked toward the open front door where they came from. They released breaths they had been holding and waited a few more minutes to make sure the wolf had fully gone before leaving the closet. </p><p>Diana tentatively opened the door and the group crept out in to the hallway. Louis was finally able to breath normally and let go of Lotte's hand. </p><p>“That was close,” said Sucy almost conversationally to the other four, her face an un-bothered placid portrait of utmost calm. They all just looked at her in disbelief. </p><p>A growl drew their attention to the front door. They whirled to see the wolf standing in the moonlight just outside. It had watched and waited for them, and now its hungry yellow eyes were glowing, taking the sight of its first victims. </p><p>“Fly,” said Sucy softly, and the beast lunged on all fours, coming for their blood.</p><p>Adrenaline flooded their brains and they scrambled onto the brooms at an inhuman pace. By the time they lifted off, the beast was nearly on their heels. As fast as they were...he was faster. </p><p>“HE'S GAINING!” Andrew screamed. </p><p>The boys turned themselves on the brooms as well as they could, hanging on to the girls' wand belts, Andrews to Lotte's and Louis to Sucy's. With their sword hands they slashed at the air between them and the beast, more to keep him at bay than to land a hit. </p><p>Diana had pulled out in front, navigating the sharp hallways and calling directions to the other two witches. </p><p>As the wolf drew near to them, Andrew brought his sword down in a chopping motion. The blade uselessly glanced off its muzzle and flew from his hand, skittering away into oblivion. </p><p>“Dammit,” he said aloud through gritted teeth. </p><p>Sucy was rummaging through her bag while trying to steer her broom at the same time. She finally drew out a green potion, which she threw to the ground in a fantastic explosion. A forest of thorns sprang up before and around the beast, catching him up enough to get him off their tails. </p><p>But that didn't stop him for long. He tore and bit through them as if they were cardboard, barely scratching himself in the process. He would be on top of them again in mere seconds once he broke free of the thicket.</p><p>“WHICH WAY?!” Diana shouted. </p><p>Louis glanced ahead and saw the familiar bank of stairs. “THIRD FLOOR! THEN LEFT!” he shouted back. </p><p>They shot up the center of the stairway like rockets. Diana pulled out her wand when they reached the third floor and turned to hover over the stairwell as the other two brooms flew past her. She pointed and screamed a powerful spell. The aquamarine light flashed and seemingly nothing happened at first. </p><p>Then the stairwell crumbled in on itself. Great pieces of stone and concrete thundered apart and fell in heaps, vomiting massive a cloud of dust and debris up into the adjoining hallways. Diana turned and followed the others, confident that they had just bought some precious time.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The group reached a pair of opulent double doors, the dusty cloud following them. </p><p>Louis scrambled off Sucy's broom and unlocked them with his ring of keys. They retreated into the safety of the office, covered in dust and coming down from the adrenaline high of the chase. </p><p>Once the doors were closed and locked again, they piled most of the furniture they could grab under the handles. They knew it probably wouldn't stop the ferocity of the beast, but it made them feel better anyway. </p><p>They spread out and got a proper look at the office. It was decorated with rich wood and a smattering of weapons sat in display cases around the room, creating an intimidating air, surely on purpose. </p><p>Diana pulled out her wand and waved it over each item. “This one is silver,” she said, “and this one.” </p><p>“I don't have keys for these cases,” said Louis, flipping through the ring. </p><p>“Break them,” Andrew said simply. </p><p>“Wait-” Louis started, but the tinkling of broken glass already reached his ears as Diana hammered a pane apart with the butt of her wand. </p><p>Andrew took up Louis's discarded broadsword and bashed in another case. As glass continued to break all around him, Louis ran his hands through his hair in great distress. </p><p>“He's gonna kill me,” he muttered under his breath. </p><p>Sucy nonchalantly walked behind the great mahogany desk and broke open a cabinet containing the Chairman's personal effects. </p><p>“Hey!” Louis chastised her. “Those are my father's private things!” </p><p>“I thought I saw a grenade in there,” Sucy replied unconvincingly. </p><p>“What on earth would we do with a grenade?” asked Andrew with a note of giddiness. Maybe he was just happy to be alive, or maybe breaking Mr. Blackwell's things was bringing him a modicum of joy. </p><p>“A better question...what would a school Chairman be doing with a grenade?” asked Sucy. </p><p>“There's no grenade!” said Louis exasperatedly. </p><p>“Well, when you're right, you're right,” said Sucy, examining the cabinet's contents. “No grenade, just a lot of high class hooch. Look, Lotte, stogies.” </p><p>She held up a humidor with a small smile. </p><p>“Don't touch those,” Louis warned.</p><p>But Sucy wasn't paying him any mind. Lotte got the feeling she was misbehaving for her benefit, to take her mind off their current situation. And while Sucy's methods of cheering people up were...unorthodox at best, she appreciated it all the same. </p><p>Andrew kept breaking cases around the room, and handing Lotte the weapons within to pile on a table near the window. She turned each one over and over in her hands, brow furrowing. </p><p>“There are a lot of angry spirits in some of these,” she said thoughtfully and her brow furrowed. </p><p>Sucy turned to acknowledge Louis at last. “So...you and your dad are basically terrible people, huh?” she said conversationally. </p><p>The room went quiet. </p><p>Louis stood rooted to the spot, studying the one visible eye staring at him almost in a bored way. He had been a fool to think that the story of his run-in with Amanda wouldn't spread among the rest of Luna Nova. Memories of his past behavior swam through his mind and he found he couldn't deny it. </p><p>He sighed through his nose, resigned. “Yes,” he finally said, turning his back to the rest of the group. The hot feeling of shame crept back up his collar and into his pale features. </p><p>“Well, good on you for making up for it now,” Sucy said plainly. It was a simple matter to her, and she made a habit of holding no grudges. Other people weren't worth grudges. But, sensing that she may have crossed a line, she decided to try and make him feel better. </p><p>She searched through her bag for the perfect tool. “Watch this,” she said to the room in general, attaching a fake bushy mustache to her face and holding one of the cigars aloft. She plopped down in the plush leather chair and put on her best gruff voice. </p><p>“I say, I'm the chairman of this fancy-pants boys' school and I shan't tolerate any fun of any kind! Is that a witch I see over there? Have her burnt at the steak! Is that a singing bird? Shoot it down! And you!” she pointed at Louis with the cigar. “Don't just stand there, you idiot! Call a doctor! I have a huge stick lodged up my a-”</p><p><i>“Sucy!”</i> Lotte cut in with a hint of warning in her voice, even though she wanted to laugh. “Too far.”</p><p>Andrew was quaking with suppressed laughter. Louis let out a dry chuckle. “It's alright, she's actually not that far off.” </p><p>The only one who was singularly unamused was Diana. “If you're quite finished, bring that length of chain over here. I'm going to take the silver from these weapons and coat the links.” </p><p>“Will that help?” asked Andrew. </p><p>“Yes,” said Diana, not looking at him. “Silver weakens a werewolf's hide. Judging by the way your sword bounced off him, it's tougher than we thought.” </p><p>He took the comment way too personally, “I didn't mean to drop it, you know.” </p><p>“Why do you always have to make things more difficult than they are?” said Diana tiredly. “I wasn't insulting your swordsmanship.” </p><p>Sucy and Louis were completely oblivious to the argument, having decided to try 108 year-old scotch from the cabinet. </p><p>“A shot of courage,” Sucy said lifting the glass in a toast. </p><p>He clinked in return. “Not that you need it, apparently, Miss,” he said, regarding her cool facade. </p><p>Sucy threw back the scotch like a champ, only letting out a small cough. But toxins had never been an issue for her and her family. She hardly felt it. </p><p>Louis, on the other hand, sputtered and coughed as most of the scotch came shooting back up through his nose. “Ugh!”</p><p>“Heh, heh, heh,” Sucy let out her mischievous little laugh. “Tastes like a battery. You rich people get up to some weird stuff,” said possibly one of the weirdest people on the face of the earth compared with the general population. </p><p>Louis didn't mind. He was beginning to like her blithe honesty. She seemed free to be herself, no matter how weird that was. It was inspiring in a backwards sort of way. </p><p>“Do you dance?” he asked, after he stopped choking. </p><p>“No,” she said simply. “Why would I?” </p><p>“You might like it. Let me teach you the waltz, it's easy,” he said, offering his hand. </p><p>She narrowed her eye at him. This was unexpected...but on the other hand, she liked unusual things.</p><p>“Why not...I might be dead before morning and no one will ever find out about this.” She decided to keep the bushy mustache on. </p><p>Lotte watched the scene unfold with great interest. She supposed that near-death experiences made people do strange things. She was glad to see them getting along. </p><p>On the other side of the room though, Diana and Andrew's argument was escalating yet again. </p><p>“Leave me alone, I have work to do,” Diana took out her wand, preparing to coat the chains. </p><p>“Oh, don't let me interrupt, Miss Cavendish,” said Andrew sarcastically. </p><p>Lotte, taking a leaf from Sucy's book of bluntness, launched forward and pulled Andrew by the arm out of Diana's earshot. </p><p>“What?” Andrew said much more angrily than he intended. Lotte had done him no wrong and she was probably suffering more than the lot of them. He felt a pang of guilt, but it just wasn't enough to overcome his sharp tongue. </p><p>“Just listen to me, Andrew,” said Lotte softly. “You've been cold to Diana ever since we got here.” </p><p>“Because-” he started in but Lotte shushed him.</p><p>“Don't talk, just listen. We're all under a lot of stress. I know I am,” she said, tears almost coming back as she thought about Frank. “We're all worried. But how you've been acting towards Diana, I think there's something else going on between you two.”</p><p>Andrew paused, his face softening. “Is it that obvious?” he asked. </p><p>Lotte nodded. “Instead of snapping at her, you should try talking to her. You know...like a <i>friend.”</i> She emphasized the last word for him, as he seemed to have forgotten its meaning. </p><p>Andrew wasn't sure if he could. He was bursting to, but at the same time, the words lodged in his throat every time he wanted to bring it up. </p><p>“We might not make it through this night,” Lotte said seriously. “And even if we do, you don't want it festering inside you anymore. Go and talk to her,” She squeezed his arm encouragingly. </p><p>She was right. He was terrible at talking about feelings but the ones he had been experiencing lately had him twisting in the wind. They tore him up inside and up until now he only shoved them deeper with more work. Always, more work...never tackling the problem head-on. Not at all like <i>she</i> would.</p><p>He turned, as if on auto-pilot, and started to move towards Diana, who looked very upset as she worked.  He knew Lotte was right...he had to get it out. But he found himself taking tiny steps, hoping it would just take forever to get there and he wouldn't have to talk about it. </p><p>Eventually though he reached Diana's side at the table near the window. </p><p>“I'm sorry,” he said softly. </p><p>“It's quite alright,” said Diana graciously, but not looking at him. </p><p>“I feel so powerless compared to you,” he admitted, turning one of the spears over in his hands nervously. “Not just today...”</p><p>Diana got a sneaking feeling that she knew what was coming...a conversation she had dreaded. </p><p>“Andrew, I don't think this is the time or the place for this...”</p><p>“Considering we might not see the dawn,” he said, echoing Lotte, “I think it's my only time.”</p><p>She stopped spell-weaving, looking up at the pair of devastated green eyes. </p><p>“She chose you instead of me,” he said, barely above a whisper. </p><p>Diana's voice quaked. “She might have chosen you...if only you would have told her.” It had long been her secret fear that she would choose him, like all the girls chose him... </p><p>He smiled sadly to himself. Taking refuge in silence had always been his problem, especially when he needed a voice most. </p><p>“What did you think of Akko when you first met her?” he asked suddenly, wishing to bathe himself in the memories from before his heart ached. </p><p>Diana looked down at her work but her face lit up in a smile. “I can't say my life was simple. But there was an order to it, a familiar way about it. Then this...person...came thundering in.”</p><p>“Goddess of Chaos,” Andrew supplied with a small chuckle.</p><p>Diana hummed fondly. “Exactly. I didn't care for her one bit. She reminded me too much of myself when I was a child...energetic...hopeful...a dreamer. And it hurt to remember, especially when she was around every corner, causing more trouble.” </p><p>“But her damned heart,” Andrew already knew what came next.</p><p>“Her heart,” she confirmed. “Her heart captured me, and all of us. Every person she met, she enchanted. Then, one day, I could no longer keep her heart shut out of mine, no matter how clumsy and unskilled she was.” </p><p>“Did you know...” Andrew remembered, “that the first time we met, she accidentally gave me donkey ears and a tail?”</p><p>Diana let out a genuine laugh, though it was graceful as always, like the tinkling of a bell. She looked at him, picturing it. “No, I didn't! The young Viscount Hanbridge in his appropriate form!” </p><p>“You don't know how true that is,” he said sadly, and yet he no longer sounded so young. Emotion shook his voice and made it low and gravelly. </p><p>“I've been the perfect jackass. I never told her and I live in torment...because I love her, Diana.”</p><p>Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. “Why didn't you tell her?” she whispered. </p><p>Andrew blinked back tears of his own and brought his fist up to his lips to stop a choked cry. When he steadied himself, he said, “Back when the missile threatened to strike...when I saw the two of you on that screen...I knew I couldn't.”</p><p>Despite his best efforts, a tear fell anyway. “I knew...even with all my gifts and my station in life...you could give her everything I couldn't. Magic...I can't give her magic...or her dream. And I hated you for it,” he struggled to look at her now.</p><p>“But...now I just hate myself. I'm so sorry, Diana.”</p><p>She cried silently. “I wish you wouldn't. You don't deserve it.” </p><p>He took Diana's hands in his own, his eyes sparkling with tears. “Please just do one kindness for a lovesick fool. Please...give her the world...for me.” </p><p>She nodded, unable to speak for the sobs that threatened to wring themselves from her. </p><p>Lotte stood by, crying silently as well. She knew she shouldn't eavesdrop but she couldn't help herself in this instance. There was just no explaining love. </p><p>“The heart wants what it wants,” she thought to herself. Her own heart jumped a little when she thought of Frank at that party...what seemed like a century ago. Even after the cupid bee's enchantment had lifted, his heart decided it wanted her. And over time, she realized just how lucky the two of them had been to find each other. After all her study, she could only conclude that love was the most powerful magic in the world.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lotte was still deeply lost in thought after Diana and Andrew had gotten a hold of themselves and returned to their task. She was only shaken out of her reverie by the dance lesson near the desk going wildly off the rails. </p><p>“You're doing something wrong but I can't see your feet,” said Louis. </p><p>“I think you're the one doing it wrong,” said Sucy matter-of-factly. “Let me lead.” </p><p>“I'm supposed to lead, I'm a man.”</p><p>“Really? Who has the mustache, here?” </p><p>“Do you carry that fake mustache around with you everywhere, Sucy?” Lotte asked. </p><p>“I believe in being prepared,” said Sucy. </p><p>Lotte couldn't imagine what that possibly meant. She had a hard time conjuring any scenario outside of this one where she might need such an item. </p><p>“Everything is ready!” called Diana from the table by the window. Lotte and Sucy shouldered the new silver-clad chains. </p><p>“I kept these two weapons for you,” Diana said to the boys. “They'll be much more effective than those rusty broadswords.”</p><p>Andrew handled a spear. It was heavy but did feel more sturdy than the sword he lost. </p><p>Louis brandished a silver saber. “Oh yes, this is so much better.” </p><p>“We should have borrowed Constanze's guns,” said Sucy, watching him parry and thrust around the office. </p><p>“Wait, we're defending ourselves with bits of sticks and we could have had guns?!” whined Louis incredulously. </p><p>“Take it easy Action Jackson, you couldn't have used them anyway. They're fueled by magic.” </p><p>“Would everyone be serious for two minutes, please?” said Diana. “Andrew and I have a plan for catching Frank. It would behoove us to all be on the same page.” </p><p>A few minutes later, the Chairman's grand mahogany desk, levitated by Sucy and Diana, went crashing out the window and sailed with a fantastic arc to the pavement below. </p><p>“Could've just <i>opened</i> the window like a normal person...” Louis mumbled to himself. </p><p>“That ought to get Frank's attention,” said Andrew, so thrilled to be there for this crescendo of destruction. </p><p>“That desk got major air,” said Sucy with a smile. Amanda had been teaching her skater slang. She had been learning all kinds of new things lately...seemed a shame to die tonight, she thought to herself. She guessed she would just have to live through this. </p><p>The group mounted the brooms and flew out the window, keeping a weather eye out for any sign of movement below. To their collective dismay, they saw nothing at all in the courtyard. The huge racket of the desk being demolished on the pavement should have drawn him out. </p><p>Lotte grew worried. What if Frank had been buried in the stairwell? He could be seriously hurt...</p><p>“Follow me!” shouted Diana, “We'll fly over the whole campus until we find him!”</p><p>They circled the main building but saw no sign of him. </p><p>As they neared the dorm building, a sound floated up to their ears...the terrified sound of cornered prey.</p><p>“There he is!” shouted Lotte, pointing down at the huge shape clawing at the heavy door. </p><p>Whatever the students had used to barricade the door, it wasn't enough to stand up to the sheer brute strength and knife-like claws. The door was just starting to give way and screams were pouring forth from those who had seen the beast through the splintering wood. </p><p>“We have to get him away from here!” shouted Diana. She landed mere feet behind the beast with the others close behind. It was one of the rare moments in her life when she had no plan...no idea as to what to do. She had never felt so helpless or so afraid. Visions flashed before her eyes of a thousand massacred people and it would be her fault...because she had hesitated...because she had failed.</p><p>In that moment, the door broke apart completely and the beast slipped inside. The students might as well be a corral of sheep heading to the slaughter. </p><p>With only Diana's last order ringing in the action part of his brain, Louis made a break to follow, fishing in his pocket for absolutely anything to use as a distraction. He ended up closing fingers around his phone, which he chucked wildly in the wolf's direction.</p><p>He missed by a good three feet but the clattering was enough to get the murderous pair of yellow eyes fixed on him. It was only then that he realized the horrible mistake he had made. </p><p>The beast lunged. He held the saber aloft, and out of the corner of his eye, the end of Andrew's spear appeared. If Diana hadn't thought to arm them with silver, they would surely be dead.</p><p>Instead, they landed two shallow wounds in the beast's hide, and it shrank back from the burn of the silver, howling horribly. It backed down from them but turned, preparing to ascend the stairs for much easier prey.</p><p>Andrew caught a glimpse of the blood on his weapon and was stricken by either a brilliant or very stupid idea. </p><p>He grabbed the blade and slipped it through his hand, making a deep cut that poured blood instantly, dripping to the floor. He nearly vomited from the sensation, but it had worked. </p><p>The wolf was hit with the strong scent of blood outside of a body, and its interest in the group at the door was renewed. It made to lunge again, but this time Diana had formed an equally brilliant and stupid plan of her own. She pulled out her wand and fired a spell at the chandelier, which smashed to the floor between them and the beast. </p><p>They recoiled from the shower of glass, which bounced off the tough hide but littered their exposed skin with shallow cuts. </p><p>Little spots of blood bloomed on them, a veritable feast laid out before the wolf's eyes and assaulting its senses. </p><p>It was time to run again. Back on the brooms, they bolted. Diana was in front, intent on leading them back to the spot outside the administration building they needed to reach, far away from any potential victims.</p><p>The beast chased them with fresh vigor. Little droplets of blood flecked through the air and drew him like a siren's song. </p><p>Just beyond the administration building, they reached the courtyard lined with ancient stone pillars, weathered by the years, but strong. Strong enough, Diana hoped. </p><p>Once between the rows of pillars, the plan fell into place. The boys jumped off the brooms and whirled toward the oncoming wolf, The girls, still on brooms, grabbed separate ends of the silver chain and veered back around to face the threat. </p><p>As it charged toward the seemingly easy target of the boys, the girls caught it across the chest with the chain and turned their brooms as fast as possible, circling back to wrap it again, effectively turning themselves into a human chain shot. The silver burnt into its hide and it gave them enough time to weave around the stone pillars. It was caught in the middle, pulled between the stone with clawed hands pinned to its sides. </p><p>It wailed and howled, beginning to thrash violently against its restraints. The chains creaked and the stone groaned under the onslaught of such strength.</p><p>Diana wasted no time...she cast the best strengthening spell she could on the stone while Sucy poured some concoction on the chains, magically swelling and thickening them. Still they creaked and strained. </p><p>Sucy handed the boys a small length of chain and they tentatively drew nearer to the still thrashing animal. It snapped its jaws at them and growled, whipping its head around much too fast to get a hold of.</p><p>“Don't get bitten!” Diana shouted a warning.  </p><p>“We can't even get close,” shouted Louis. “He's too fast!”</p><p>Andrew, remembering his stupid plan from earlier, gripped the length of chain with his cut hand, smearing blood all over it. Then, with a set jaw and all the determination he could muster, grabbed it by the ends and carefully stepped toward the huge beast.</p><p>“Open up, Frank,” he said almost playfully, scared to death on the inside of those gnashing fangs. </p><p>The wolf snapped its jaws at him, but upon smelling the blood on the chain, paused to let its tongue loll out for a taste. Andrew hooked the chain inside its mouth, sidestepping the massive body and pulling back on the upper jaw. It wailed and growled angrily, beginning to thrash again. Andrew's grip rapidly weakened, and he could only cling on for dear life with his arms around the neck. </p><p>Sucy wouldn't be able to get the potion down his throat at this rate. </p><p>Lotte stepped into the beast's line of sight. Propelled by what, she wasn't sure anymore. Her nerves had been worked to fraying and grief and worry had overtaken her completely. She just wanted Frank back. Without thinking, she started humming her spirit song, low and quiet. </p><p>“Lotte, what are you doing?!” asked Sucy, panic lining the edge of her usually dead-pan voice. </p><p>As she got closer to the wolf, she hummed a bit louder. Surely a wolf's ears could hear her, but something inside her needed Frank to hear too.</p><p>“This isn't you,” she said. “Frank?”</p><p>To everyone's astonishment, the wolf stopped thrashing for a few moments, fixing a huge yellow eye on Lotte. It appeared to have heard her in some way where regular human voices went unheeded. </p><p>She stepped closer, well within the range of it's great head and mouth, still propped open but an inch by Andrew's chain. It snarled at her, letting out a long, low growl. </p><p>“Frank,” she said again. “You're not well. You need to let us help you,” her voice was soft and soothing as she could manage, keeping the fear out of it. “The moon's going down. You need to let us help you,” she repeated. </p><p>It kept its eye fixed on her, panting and letting out growls with each exhale. But the thrashing had stopped. Its mouth had gone slack just enough for Louis to weave his chain in the row of teeth and pull on the bottom jaw, making the opening just a little wider...wide enough for a small potion bottle. </p><p>It grew angry, trying to twist its head away from the bite of the chains pressing into its jaws. They came dangerously close to letting go. </p><p>“Frank, calm down,” Lotte said steadily, placing her hand on the massive head just near the ear, stroking the fur there. It still moved about angrily, snarling and trying to snap its jaws at her. “It won't hurt once you're well again. You need to trust us. Trust your friends,” she said, tears starting to well up in her eyes.” </p><p>It calmed again, just barely. Diana motioned to Sucy, holding her wand aloft. She would have to cast a transformation spell to aid the potion...they wouldn't get another chance. </p><p>Sucy crept forward very slowly, fishing out the small vial as Lotte talked to the wolf.</p><p>“Remember two weeks ago when we walked by the lake...and the fireflies were out? We can do that again when you're well...every night if you want to,” she said softly. For a split second, she though she could see a glimmer of him lost somewhere in that massive yellow eye. </p><p>“NOW!” screamed Diana.</p><p>Andrew pulled up, Louis pulled down and the jaws spread open. Sucy lunged her arm deep in the maw, dumping the potion directly down its throat as it let out a choking howl. Sucy pulled her arm out just in time for it to start thrashing around again. Lines of smoke emanated from the hide and it violently wailed and gnashed, throwing the boys off as their grip gave out. </p><p>Diana and Lotte pointed their wands at the smoking mass and focused on the spell with all their remaining strength, “METAMORPHIE FACIESSE!!” </p><p>The blinding aquamarine flash of the spell filled every void and vision and threw them back, into what felt like truest nothingness.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They came to, one by one, out of the daze of the blinding spell. Looking towards where the beast was standing, there was Frank, lying in a heap of chains. Smoke still streamed off his body. </p><p>They staggered toward him tentatively, almost waiting for him to leap up and attack again in their stupor. But he just laid there, and a new worry overtook them.</p><p>“Is he alive?” Andrew asked. The others flinched at the sound of a voice. But Lotte bent down over his prostrate figure, putting her ear to his chest. </p><p>She heard the faint flutter of a heartbeat. Leaning closer to his face, his light breaths fogged up her glasses just a bit. Oh, thank the nine.</p><p>“He's alive, but he's weak,” said Lotte. His body was covered in angry-looking welts from the burning silver, and she ran her finger around the two shallow wounds left in his torso by the blades. They weren't bleeding freely...they would heal. </p><p>Sucy was the first to notice that he was, in fact, naked under the heap of chains. Ever the prepared one, she pulled an old shawl from her bag of tricks to tie around him. </p><p>“We need to get him out of here,” said Louis suddenly. “If someone leaves the dorm building and sees him here like this, he's done for.” </p><p>“Let's move him to the infirmary. We will just say he was attacked. No one can ever know he was the wolf,” said Andrew. They all agreed. To protect him, it wouldn't go beyond the six of them.</p><p>Flying to the infirmary with a limp body spread between them was much easier said than done. In the end, they fashioned themselves into a kind of human funeral pyre, with Frank laying comfortably on their bent backs as they slowly glided along. </p><p>With great relief, they hefted him onto one of the many hospital beds set up in the main hall of the infirmary building. They collapsed nearby, realizing at last just how beat to hell they all were. Exhausted from a full night of adrenaline, bruised and cut up, they could do nothing else but lapse into sleep, if only for a few minutes. </p><p>Lotte was the last left standing. Taking a quick flitting look around, as if anyone else would have cared at that point, she cuddled close to Frank in his bed and listened to his strengthening heartbeat. A few hot tears splashed onto the edges of her glasses...sad, happy, exhausted tears. And finally she fell asleep. </p><p>About an hour later, Lotte awoke to voices in the infirmary. Andrew had called the staff and informed them that the danger was over. Staff and students had poured back into the campus, and now the six teens were facing the wrath of a proper English school nurse. </p><p>“-Children mucking about at all hours of the night! Honestly! The state of you all! Who are you girls? You can't be students here! Oh, never mind, dear, let's get that glass out of your chin. Young Mr. Blackwell, what will your father say to you? What will your father say to <i>me</i>, for that matter?!”</p><p>And she went on like that for quite some time. </p><p>She was busy bandaging Andrew's hand when Frank finally woke up, fairly shocked to find himself half naked in the infirmary building. </p><p>Lotte almost cried again when he opened his eyes. She had been sitting by, holding his hand for nearly another hour. The sun was just creeping up over the horizon, casting the place in a golden light. </p><p>“Lotte,” he said weakly. “What's...what's going on?” His head was pounding and his whole body ached from the welts and cuts. Despite that, he hadn't felt this good in weeks. The violent thoughts were gone, as was the feverish temperature and sweating. </p><p>“Frank,” she said, not being able to contain herself any longer and threw her arms around his neck. He groaned in pain but draped a weak arm around her waist anyway. </p><p>She detached herself after a few moments, and tried to explain everything that had happened within the last sixteen hours or so. </p><p>He suddenly got emotional and his voice shook as he traced his finger along the small cuts on her cheek. </p><p>“I....I did this to you?” he asked, the little seed of self-hate threatening to grow in him again. He looked at the cuts and a few tears fell. How could he ever forgive himself?</p><p>“No, you didn't do this,” Lotte reassured him, grasping the hand that had been touching the spots of dried blood. </p><p>“Look at me,” she said softly. He could hardly allow his eyes to meet hers. </p><p>“You didn't do this to me, or any of us,” she said firmly. “You got sick. It wasn't your fault.”</p><p>It would be a long time before he actually believed it, but it was a start. </p><p>Lotte peeked at the others, who were just busy enough being patched up to be ignoring them for now. </p><p>“I realized something tonight,” she started hesitantly. “I don't want to be without you.” </p><p>“Really...? Even after....well, everything?” Frank asked, gesturing around the room. </p><p>Lotte nodded, a small smile playing at her lips. </p><p>Frank's words failed him. He couldn't imagine how he got so lucky. Others in his position might not have called it luck, what with being stricken with a rare magical disease that turned him into a bloodthirsty monster. But Frank...Frank found treasure in hidden places. That was always his strength. </p><p>He simply placed his hand on her cheek and drew her closer, leaning up as far as he could to meet her halfway in a kiss. Lotte supported the hand on her cheek, letting her thumb stroke his fingers. She felt a warmth spread in her chest she had never quite felt before. </p><p>A loud throat-clearing noise interrupted them. Breaking apart, they beheld the face of the nurse, looking a bit disapproving with pursed lips. “If you're quite finished, this is an infirmary after all!” </p><p>They tried to stifle giggles. </p><p>The nurse began attending to Lotte while Frank rested. The others had wandered over, out of an odd need to stick together more than anything else. </p><p>“Frank, you look like hell,” Andrew was the first to speak, unable to emotionally express his true feelings, settling instead for masculine banter. </p><p>“Nice to see you too, Andrew,” Frank retorted happily. He had known Andrew long enough to know what he really felt. </p><p>“Really, how can you be so emotionally stunted?” Diana asked Andrew, rolling her eyes just a little bit. “It's good to see you...feeling better, Frank,” she said, careful not to mention anything incriminating in front of the nurse. </p><p>“You are the last person on earth who should be commenting on my lack of emotional range, Miss Canvendish,” he said with a smirk. </p><p>The nurse left them for a moment to get more bandages.</p><p>“Well, it's almost time for us to face the music,” Andrew sighed. “We can sneak you girls out of here through the window, and no one will be the wiser.” </p><p>“What about you guys?” asked Sucy placidly. </p><p>“Frank is in the clear, Andrew and I are probably dead,” said Louis, simply past the point of caring after the night's events. “I'll be the first to go...in about...” he searched his pockets. “What time is it? Where's my phone?”</p><p>“You threw it, remember?” Sucy reminded him. </p><p>“Oh, right,” he snapped his fingers, albeit a bit sadly. </p><p>“It's half-past five.” </p><p>“About half an hour until my life is over,” Louis finished. “Still the most fun I've had in months.” </p><p>“We'd better go, then,” said Diana, grabbing her broom. </p><p>Lotte hung back momentarily to kiss Frank goodbye before the group crossed the hall to the window. “Should I break this one too?” asked Sucy with her small smile. </p><p>“That's alright, I'll just open it,” said Louis quickly. </p><p>“Well, if you guys ever want to destroy your school some more, be sure to let me know. I would hate to miss it,” Sucy showed her rows of pointed teeth. </p><p>“Sucy, I'm proud of you for making new friends,” said Lotte with a small smile of her own.</p><p>“I wouldn't go that far,” she dead-panned. “But we're all trauma-bonded now, so that's something.” With that she hopped on her broom and floated slowly out the window. </p><p>Diana turned to face them, feeling guilty and responsible for the damage her spells had caused. “Is there anything I can do to assuage the situation concerning the...wreckage?” </p><p>“No,” replied Andrew. “It really would be better if you remained anonymous. We knew what we were getting into from the beginning.” </p><p>Then his face turned somber. “There's only one thing you can do for me...keep your promise?” he said quietly. </p><p>“I will. Of course I will,” Diana said barely above a whisper, squeezing his good hand one final time before ascending out the window herself. </p><p>That left Lotte, who had something to say too. “Thank you for doing what you did to help him...will you take care of him for me? At least until things cool down...”</p><p>Andrew nodded confidently, “We'll have him back on his feet in no time.” </p><p>“That being said though, maybe you should hold on to these,” said Louis, pressing the ring of keys into her hand. “They'll be more useful to you in case Hanbridge and I get expelled. This one's for the dorm building,” he singled one out. </p><p>She took the keys with a worried expression. “Do you really think you'll be expelled?”</p><p>“It's possible,” said Andrew. “But don't worry about us. If there's anything we have plenty of, it's opportunity.” </p><p>“We should be thanking you, honestly,” added Louis. Andrew nodded in agreement.</p><p>“Why?” </p><p>At that, their male brains screeched to a halt. They felt a tad embarrassed to relive their experiences over the last sixteen hours and how she emotionally carried them through the dark...something that very few people ever did for them. They struggled to find the words. Frank was so much better at this kind of stuff than they were. </p><p>Fortunately, Lotte was sensitive enough to pick up on everything they weren't saying. She just said, with the smallest smile, “Oh...it's okay. It's what friends do.” She looked past them as they breathed sighs of relief and gave a last wave to Frank. She floated out the window after the others. </p><p>They stood at the window for a while, watching the three witches become distant dots in the morning sky. </p><p>Then Louis turned on his heel and marched over to Frank's bedside, flopping down on the adjacent bed. “Frank, if you mess things up with her, I might actually kill you.” </p><p>Frank's eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Wow, not that I was planning on messing things up or anything, but that's a little aggressive.” </p><p>Andrew also planted himself nearby, his face the very portrait of seriousness. “For once, I agree with Louis's methods. I would help him hide your body.”</p><p>“You would?”</p><p>“I would.”</p><p>“See, between Hanbridge and I, no one would ever find you.”</p><p>A slow, knowing smile broke across Frank's face. “She's something special, isn't she?”</p><p>On that, they could all agree.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Mr. Blackwell arrived that morning, a public relations shit-storm of cataclysmic proportions awaited him. Police and press were swarming the campus, and he was immediately taken on a tour of the damage as the situation was explained by the chief of police.</p><p>The veins in his head popped out impressively with each passing moment as they inspected the wrecked basement, the glass-covered dormitory foyer, the forest of thorns in the administration building, the demolished stairwell, the pile of chains and weapons in the courtyard, his precious mahogany desk in splintered pieces, and his ruined office with missing antiques, stolen cigars and scotch spewed everywhere. </p><p>The general consensus was that a dangerous beast of a magical nature had found its way on campus and attacked one student. The chief of police applauded the Chairman for his quick thinking to order a school-wide lockdown, which confused him greatly. </p><p>Vast numbers of students and staff came forward to testify that they saw the beast break into the dormitory building, followed closely by Louis Blackwell, Andrew Hanbridge, then three unknown witches, who lured the beast away and presumably killed it. Nobody could recall much about the witches, except that one of them had a mustache, which was puzzling to say the least. </p><p>Andrew and Louis gave their own testimonies, omitting what details they could and being very non-committal in their answers regarding the three witches. All they would say was that the witches were magical creature disposal experts whom they had never met before, and would have no interest in contacting again, considering the outrageous amount of collateral damage that had taken place. </p><p>The “attacked” student, Frank, testified to the ferocity of the beast, assuring the police that had it not been for his friends and the disposal experts, he would surely be dead. </p><p>The Chairman was furious at the three of them for cooperating with witches, but was not able to show it outright with how delicate the situation was. Ultimately, to expel or otherwise harshly punish the heroes of the day would have been disastrous for his administrative and maybe even political career. Nor could he publicly disavow the witches in question who aided in the crisis. </p><p>Still, Paul Hanbridge and Frank's parents were contacted to deal with their sons as they saw fit. Frank's parents were so overjoyed at his safety and improved health, they couldn't bother with even a concerned scolding. </p><p>Paul Hanbridge was initially angry, but upon seeing the injuries that Andrew had sustained and hearing a more thorough yet still incomplete explanation, he relented with a light punishment. </p><p>Louis was perhaps the most unlucky. Though his father couldn't deliver the full punishment he had promised, their relationship did indeed further deteriorate, at least for a while. It drove Louis even further to the other side and made him sneakier, which he used to preserve the friendships he had forged in the magical community.</p><p>Still, the boys kept the truth of what happened to themselves, hardly daring to even mention it in passing. Andrew often thought of Sucy's comment about trauma-bonding, which certainly turned out to be true for them. Every once in a while they would just look at each other and they all knew they were thinking about that one night, a fleeting whim, and then return to life as normal.</p><p>*     *     *</p><p>The girls didn't talk much as they flew back to Luna Nova. They were exhausted still and they ached form their injuries. When they touched down, Lotte got that extrasensory feeling again that her and Sucy should make themselves scarce for a while. </p><p>“Sucy, I'm starving...come to the kitchen with me?” Lotte said.</p><p>“I thought you'd never ask,” said Sucy evenly. </p><p>Lotte shot Diana a wink and headed in the direction of the kitchens with Sucy in tow.</p><p>Diana smiled back gratefully. Then she trudged up to the red dorms. The full weight of what happened during the night came down on her suddenly. She staggered, leaning against one of the great pillars, breathing shallowly. </p><p>She realized that there were several times she could have easily died. She had known yesterday that their mission would be dangerous, but the reality of it brought a maelstrom of feelings to the front of her mind where they had previously been tucked away.</p><p>She had been afraid to die and never see Akko again. And before that, she had been afraid to love her the way she wanted to...openly...without fear and without propriety. And before that, she had been afraid that she would lose her to Andrew. One by one, they fell like dominoes, each one leading deeper into a string of fears that had plagued her for a long time. </p><p>Suddenly, she couldn't live another moment without seeing her. She broke into a run, ignoring her protesting aching legs. She threw open the door to find Akko right where she left her. Yet before, when she looked like a snoring mess, now she looked like a princess, even though she hadn't moved a muscle. </p><p>Diana, dropping all pretense, practically threw herself into bed with Akko, draping her arms around her and showering her face with kisses. </p><p>Akko sputtered and blinked awake in a mild flurry of panic, thrown by the sudden tender assault. “What's goin on?” she said sleepily, sort of flailing her arms around the body that now pinned her to the bed. “Diana....what?” </p><p>Diana pulled away just long enough for Akko to register that it was indeed her, then continued her onslaught of kisses. </p><p>“Wow, Diana, I'm happy to see you too,” Akko giggled, wrapping her arms around Diana's waist. Then she got a good look at the little cuts scattered across her perfect porcelain face. </p><p>Ruby eyes filled with love suddenly turned worried. “Diana! What happened? Are you okay?!”</p><p>“I'm fine, Akko, I assure you,” Diana said in her graceful tones. “But I missed you so.” She went in for another kiss, this time on the lips, long and passionate. </p><p>Akko was almost swayed by such a display of affection, but she couldn't let herself get sidetracked now, she needed some answers. </p><p>“Diana...where have you been? What happened? I'm worried about you!” she sat up to face her, concern etched on her cute features. </p><p>“Listen, Akko,” she said, “I've been through quite a journey. I can't tell you everything...but I...had a lot of things to think about while I was out there. I was afraid...of so many things. Stupid things, some of them. Like what people would think of us together, and how the future would change because I had your love.”</p><p>Akko could only watch the outpouring, wide-eyed with a childlike wonder.</p><p>“...because I had your love,” Diana repeated. “Before...I was so wrong...I was afraid of what your love would bring. I didn't recognize the gift that been given to me. And I'm-I'm so sorry,” she heard Andrew's words echo from her mouth and tears started to fall. </p><p>“Diana...” Akko started softly. She cupped her pale cheeks, bringing her teary sapphire gaze up to meet her eyes. “I've never once felt like you were ashamed of me.” </p><p>Diana threw her arms around Akko again, letting her tears stain her sleeping shirt. What had she done to deserve such forgiveness and pure love?</p><p>Once she got a hold of herself, she said, “Still...I'm not afraid of the future anymore. I want things to be  different. To start anew. I want to love you like you deserve.” Her last tears fallen, she offered Akko a smile, which was returned tenfold. </p><p>Now it was Akko's turn to throw her arms around Diana. </p><p>“Oh Diana! A new start!” she pulled away, looking thoughtful. “What does that mean for us, exactly?”</p><p>“Well” said Diana, still smiling, “what do you want to do?”</p><p>“Hmm. Right now...I want to have breakfast with you,” said Akko confidently. </p><p>“Then breakfast you shall have,” she said, standing up as Akko put on her slippers. Before opening the door, Diana gave her one more long kiss, which made Akko blush and giggle. </p><p>Walking down the hall, Diana grabbed Akko's hand and interlaced their fingers. They were quite a sight together, Akko in her pajamas and Diana in her uniform, bruised, cut and filthy. </p><p>With Akko's hand firmly in hers, Diana had never felt so utterly, hopelessly, madly, and deliriously happy.</p>
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